The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 :"The Dirty Dozen" Part I

What or Who first   inspired you to get into martial arts?
I’ve always watched MMA   growing up. As a matter of fact I’ve never missed a UFC event. I always hated   being a small guy because everyone thinks less of you. So when a tough man   competition rolled through my town I entered into it. I was the smallest   competitor but yet I still won. Ever since then I’ve been hooked.
Who are you? : A Striker,   A Wrestler, or Submission Specialist?
I’m definitely a striker   but I have been evolving here as of lately into a well rounded fighter.
 
If you weren’t a fighter,   what would you be doing right now?
I’d be a track coach at a   university. I ran track in college and I love coaching.
Where did you grow up,   and how has it made you the man you are today?
I grew up in Rangely   Colorado. It’s a small town and it really makes you appreciate everything you   have. I will never forget the people who helped me get where I am today.
Why should the other   fighters on the show fear you?
Because I have the   ability to put anybody asleep with just one shot. Also I’m extremely athletic   and I’m a faster learner. It won’t be long and I’ll be very well rounded.
 
If you’re Joe Silva, and   had the power to make any match up you wanted, regardless of weight class   what would it be?
I put me vs. BJ Penn.   Actually I’d love to GSP vs. Anderson Silva. After seeing the Chael Sonnen   fight I think GSP would win. I think Jose Aldo vs. BJ Penn would be a great   fight as well.
 
Are you going to be the   resident bad boy this season?
No…I can’t stand the   resident bad boy. Those are the guys I want to fight first.
Who has been the single   biggest influence in your life?
Probably my parents. They   have helped me get all the things that I have. No matter what I’ve chosen   they have backed me up and helped me pursue my dreams. They even paid for my   plane ticket to get to TUF tryouts.
In your opinion, what is   the greatest season of the Ultimate Fighter of all time?
I’d have to say season 11   because I can’t stand Tito Ortiz and it was funny watching Chuck Liddell just   get the best of Tito all season long.
 
What’s your favorite way   to end a fight?
I love knocking people   out. There is no better way to finish a fight.
 
What is something that   people would be surprised to know about you?
I’ve been fighting for 3   years but because of college I’ve only trained about 9 months. Whenever   school ended I’d train in the summers. During the school year I’d just run   track and fight to pay for school.
 
Favorite walkout song?
“I’m your boogie man” by   White Zombie. I will never change my walkout song!!!
What or Who first   inspired you to get into martial arts?
When I was 6 years old my   uncle Gokor Chivichyan opened up his first judo martial arts school Hayastan Team   which has been
 my home for the past 20 years and so my dad made sure I trained by him and   that’s how I
 started.
 
Who is your favorite   fighter right now, and why?
Right now my favorite   fighter is Shogun Rua because ive watched him grow as a wild fighter from pride into a much more   well rounded and
 stronger and smarter fighter in the UFC.When he fights he brings a lot of   intensity and a great
 character to the game.
 
Who are you? : A Striker,   A Wrestler, or Submission Specialist?
I would say im more of a   submission specialist but I love to stand and bang and make sure my
 opponent feels my power.
If you weren’t a fighter,   what would you be doing right now?
I would probably be in   the real estate industry selling homes and mortgage loans because that’s what I was   doing for couple
 years on the side to keep myself financially stable.
Where did you grow up,   and how has it made you the man you are today?
I grew up in Hollywood   ,Ca most of my life. It has helped me to become very social with
 everyone around me and has helped me to become more disciplined because   Hollywood can be
 distracting with all the party life going on but ive learned to put that   aside when it comes time for
 my training and fighting.
 
Why should the other   fighters on the show fear you?
They should always fear   the fighter who is not only fighting for himself for the fame or the name but someone who is   fighting for the well being of his family and for the better future for his family.
Are you going to be the   resident bad boy this season?
I’m usually mellow but if   anybody wants to take my kindness for weakness ill give
 them hell and the bad boy will come out… so we will see.
Who has been the single   biggest influence in your life?
The biggest influence in   my life has been my father who has invested so much time and money
 into my martial arts career since I was 5.Without him I would never been able   to make it this far
 and he has also been my mentor in life because he always gives me the best   advice in order to
 keep me motivated and focused in everything that I do.
 
Why should we root for   you to win this season?
You should root for me   because every time I get in that cage I will give everything
 from my heart to take that victory. I bring a lot of intensity and a great   positive
 character to the game. I treat everyone exactly how they treat me so if   someone wants
 to act crazy I will deal crazy with crazy. I like being under pressure and   can adapt to
 any type of environment around me so I think in that house the guys would   either love
 me or hate me because I’m very straight forward and not scared to express   myself.
 
What’s your favorite way   to end a fight?
I would say a T.K.O   stoppage because that shows total domination on your opponent
 and they can’t say was a lucky knock out so its more satisfying.
 
What is something that   people would be surprised to know about you?
People always get   surprised to find out that fighting is not the only skill I possess. I’m
 still finishing my business degree in college and doing real estate on the   side part time
 so I’m very multi functional in life.
 
 
Favorite walkout song?
American Dream by Lil   Wayne f. Mike Tyson
What or Who first   inspired you to get into martial arts?
I was inspired to get   involved in martial arts at a very young age when my parents enrolled my
 two brothers, Todd and Tyler, and I in Judo at the local YMCA in Lima, OH. I   later saw the
 original UFC when it aired with my Uncle and was inspired by Royce Gracie to   join my High
 School Wrestling Team as a freshman. It was not until 2000 when I was 20   years old that I
 started training in MuayThai at a local Gym in Dayton Ohio where I was   attending the University
 of Dayton studying Marketing and Psychology.
 
Who are you? : A Striker,   A Wrestler, or Submission Specialist?
I have had most of my   success as a striker winning many Full Rules Muay Thai fights, a
 Professional Boxing fight under the guidance of Freddie Roach, and finishing   most of my MMA
 fights via KO or TKO. Although my grappling is just as strong as my striking,   I choose to stand
 and trade with my opponent because I know that is what fans want to see.
 
If you weren’t a fighter,   what would you be doing right now?
If I were not fighting I   would most likely be the Head Interactive Strategist for a vinyl siding
 company in Ohio responsible for coordinating all online media placement and   branding. My
 parents owned and operated one of the most successful Wholesale Building   Supply business, B
 & T Distributors, in the area and I was an outside salesperson for them   selling windows, siding,
 and doors before I started fighting professionally in 2005.
Where did you grow up,   and how has it made you the man you are today?
I grew up in the small   Village of Fort Shawnee, Ohio which has a population of approximately
 4,000 people. My very close group of friends made me the person I am today   because I had
 so many influences and examples around me who knew me since the beginning. In   a small
 town like mine you either work or play sports and I did a lot of both. My   father put me to work
 as early as I can remember helping him and my mother get their new business   off the ground
 instilling a work ethic in me that pushes me to succeed in everything I do.   There were only 94
 people in my High School Senior class so a majority of the student body was   involved in team
 sports to fill the demand which helped me build very strong bonds with many   of my classmates
 and teammates. I avoided fighting the whole time that I grew up due to the   fact that I had a
 very large and loyal group of friends and anyone would have been stupid to   start a fight with
 any of us. It was not until I was 20 years old in a Muay Thai class that I   they my first punch at a
 another person. One of the things I truly enjoy most about fighting is   traveling back to Ohio with
 my most recent fights on DVD and watching it with all of my friends.
Why should the other   fighters on the show fear you?
Other fighters have come   to fear me and should fear me because I have no quit in me and I
 have a special skill for knocking men unconscious.
 
Quick Pick: Bruce Lee or   Chuck Norris?
Lee Jun Fan… the man   behind “the bruce”
 
Are you going to be the   resident bad boy this season?
Nope, I am here to spread   my message of “Love through Violence”.
 
 
Who has been the single   biggest influence in your life?
The prophet Robert Marley   who spoke the gospel of Jesus Christ.
 
 
Quick Pick: Silva or   Sonnen?
Silva for president, Sonnen for Vice President, Dan Hardy for…. Whatever Karl Rove did for Bush!
 
Why should we root for   you to win this season?
People should root for me   this season because I am an example that you don’t have to be
 a street fighter or enjoy hurting people to be successful in Mixed Martial   Arts Competition. I
 represent all those people with a dream who decided to do it their own way   irregardless of how
 hard it was or how impossible it seemed. I am a small town boy who made the   decision that
 I wanted to be known as one of the greatest Mixed Martial arts of all time   and now at age 30 I
 own one of the most respected MMA gym s in Hollywood, CA, recently trained   Randy Couture

 for UFC 118, and I have won professional fights as a boxer, Muay Thai   fighter, and a Mixed
 Martial artist… People should root for me because I am just getting started   and I have a lot of
 fight in me!
 
What is something that   people would be surprised to know about you?
People may be surprised   to know that I have never been in a street fight in my life. I have
 never thrown a punch at another person without a glove on. I would not   consider myself a
 violent person at all; I enjoy competing and try to win each fight while inflicting   the least amount
 of damage on my opponents. My left hook seems to be the most effective tool   to keep my
 opponents safe from injury.
Favorite walkout song?
With My Own Two Hands –   Ben Harper
What or Who first   inspired you to get into martial arts?
 I was always inspired by how martial arts   taught a person discipline and made a person put other people and situations   before themselves.
 
Who is your favorite   fighter right now, and why?
Favorite fighter is GSP.   Mainly because of how he carries himself in the cage as well as outside the   cage.  I try to mirror his fighting   style into mine. He's great at transitions and really picking other fighters   apart and exposing their weaknesses.
 
Who are you? : A Striker,   A Wrestler, or Submission Specialist?
A Striker, A Wrestler, or   Submission Specialist? A wrestler that's a striker and can throw submission.
If you weren’t a fighter,   what would you be doing right now?
I would probably be   working a normal job like majority of the world and trying to get back in   school. I love the fact that I'm a fighter.
Where did you grow up,   and how has it made you the man you are today?
I grew in St. Louis city.   It's made me take the road in life that all my neighborhood friends growing   up didn't. I made the decision not to run the streets and be a thug and stay   in trouble.
 
 
Why should the other   fighters on the show fear you?
They should fear me   because i have nothing to lose, but everything to prove.  Third time is a charm for me trying out for   the show and finally making it, and I'll prove to people that I deserve to be   in the UFC.
If you’re Joe Silva, and   had the power to make any match up you wanted, regardless of weight class   what would it be?
Anybody against Brock   Lesnar that would punch him in the chin and watch him cover up and runaway.
Who has been the single   biggest influence in your life?
My mother has been the   biggest influence in my life. Her being a single mother after my father   passed and her staying strong and taking care of three teenagers plus grand   kids.  My success is all because of my   mother she makes me work hard everyday.
Why should we root for   you to win this season?
People will see why they   should root for me this season. Everyone loves exciting fights and a fighter   that leaves everything in the cage and that's the type of fighter I am.
What’s your favorite way   to end a fight?
Anyway i end i fight is   my favorite way. But I love when i push the other guy to the point where he   gives up and I break him.  I love   making fighters second guess themselves about fighting.
What is something that   people would be surprised to know about you?
That I'm actually one of   the nicest people someone would meet and I'm generous and friendly to people   I rarely know.
Favorite walkout song?
Rock Star by R. Kelly f. Ludacris   and Kid rock
What or Who first   inspired you to get into martial arts?
My uncle was the Egyptian   National Champion (boxing) which I thought was real cool as a kid, my parents   were missionaries so we never spent too long in the same country, martial   arts was my escape, it gave me a sense of continuation and belonging wherever   I went.
 
Who is your favorite   fighter right now, and why?
Jeremy Horn, he is so   well rounded, extremely intelligent and technical.  Plus he’s kind of a cool guy, lol.
 
Who are you? : A Striker,   A Wrestler, or Submission Specialist?
Am a mixed martial   artists that wants to make it in the UFC, the most competitive MMA   organization in the world, therefore I’m a striker and a grappler.
 
If you weren’t a fighter,   what would you be doing right now?
Coaching, although I’m   very passionate about fighting, it is who I am and what I do, I’m equally   passionate and fulfilled coaching my fighters and helping them reach their   dreams.
 
 
Quick Pick: Ken or Ryu?
Neither, both would get   smashed in the octagon
 
Where did you grow up,   and how has it made you the man you are today?
I grew up all over the   Middle East and Europe. Moving so much made me focused more on martial arts,   plus it exposed me to different styles and schools of thought.
 
Why should the other   fighters on the show fear you?
Well, the thing is, all   28 guys on the show are studs, I don’t know that any of them should fear me,   but they should be concerned because I worked so hard to get here, it took me   three tries to get on the show, I battled through many injuries and obstacles   to get here, I understand what’s on the line, and I want it, NO, I NEED IT.   No one that fights me will win a decision, I’m either going to sub them or   knock them out, if they want to win they will have to do the same to me, and   I don’t tap, they will either have to break something or put me to sleep or   I’m still coming after them.
 
Quick Pick: Bruce Lee or   Chuck Norris?
Close one, Chuck might   have a slight edge if they fought today
 
Who has been the single   biggest influence in your life?
Matt Pena, without his   guidance I would not be fighting today, he is always in the background   supporting and backing his fighters, I wish to be half the coach he is when I   retire from fighting.
What’s your favorite way   to end a fight?
Fast and definitive, I   don’t want people to see how tough I am
 
What is something that   people would be surprised to know about you?
I have a master’s degree   in coaching from Western Michigan University, in addition to running my own   gym in Kalamazoo, MI, Lightning Kicks, I run a martial arts program for at   risk youth.
What or Who first   inspired you to get into martial arts?
The first two people   inspired me to get into combat sports is my dad and my cousin.
 
Who are you? : A Striker,   A Wrestler, or Submission Specialist?
I am a very good judo   guy, and good submission specialist, but my striking is getting much better.
 
If you weren’t a fighter,   what would you be doing right now?
If I weren’t a fighter, I   don’t know what I would do, fighting is all I know and I am good at it.
 
Where did you grow up,   and how has it made you the man you are today?
I was born and Raised in   Armenia, it made me rough and rugged and taught me not to take crap from anyone!   It gave me the tools to pass through any obstacles that came my way.
 
Why should the other   fighters on the show fear you?
The other fighters should   fear of me because I have the speed, strength, technique, and heart to take
 any man in my way down.
 
 
If you’re Joe Silva, and   had the power to make any match up you wanted, regardless of weight class   what would it be?
If I had the power to   make any match up it will be the heavyweights. Fedor vs Brock.
Are you going to be the   resident bad boy this season?
Hell yeah it’s in my   nature.
 
Who has been the single   biggest influence in your life?
It would definitely have   to be my dad. He passed away at a very young age and his passing made me
 think differently about life. I had to take control and take care of my   family.
Why should we root for   you to win this season?
Because my life   experiences have turned me into the fierce underdog I am. Everyone always   loves the
 underdog.
What’s your favorite way   to end a fight?
My favorite way to end a   fight is submission, decision, or KO. My main purpose besides winning the   fight
 is to put on an entertaining war in the cage.
 
What is something that   people would be surprised to know about you?
That I am a great soccer   player, and swimmer.
 
Favorite walkout song?
Only God can judge me no,   buy 2PAC. Lol